POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN THE US What do we mean by political participation? Why do we privilege voting as a measure of political participation? Is political participation a liberty, a right, or a duty? Should we require everyone to participate? What happens if different types of people participate at different rates? What’s wrong with being elitist and fearing the tipping point? The Founders were Nonvoters vs. voters: Diverging preferences? Participation and reinforcing logics: Cynicism (vicious circles) versus virtuous circles

WHO PARTICIPATES IN POLITICS? Who is eligible to vote? Freed male slaves, women, poll taxes, & young people How have voting rights changed? Racial gerrymandering and intimidation The 1965 Voters Rights Act (and the 1975 amendments) “Pre-clearance” and majority-minority districts When can race be used to draw districts? Shaw v. Reno (1993) What determines who votes? Does race matter?: “Controlling for other issues” Why do Latinos have lower voting rates Gender, Age, Socio-economic status: Which matter and which don’t? Does non-electoral participation follow this same pattern?

WHY DOES IT MATTER IF PARTICIPATION IS “TILTED” TOWARD SOME GROUPS? Maybe non-participation is good? Today’s voters seem representative enough of overall opinion Fewer angry voters makes for less polarized politics Isn’t it fairer to weight the system toward people who have a higher interest in politics? Non-voters are clearly less informed & interested The radical argument: If you play, you have accept the outcome; if you don’t, then you get to challenge the system Why do most political scientists see nonparticipation as a problem? Today’s voters are not really representative after all because the political system emphasizes the concerns of political participants. Voting is used to shift resources away from disadvantaged groups Low turnout leads to cynicism

WHY ARE SO MANY AMERICANS NOT VOTING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING? The rational choice model: What are the costs and benefits of voting? Don’t worry, be happy? Are the stakes that low? Why are the unrooted less likely to vote?: Young, the poor, and the unemployed Why do we have complex, decentralized registration and election procedures when other countries don’t? Should we rework the incentives?: A voter holiday? Elections by mail? Early voting? Mandatory voting

HOW DOES THE AMERICAN WAY OF HOLDING ELECTIONS HELP OR HURT MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION ? Why are our important elections so uncompetitive (primaries, legislature)? What role does money play? What are the alternatives to privately funded campaigns? How do gerrymandering make our elections even less competitive? The death (or are we seeing a rebirth?) of party machines: Are parties a bad thing? Our two party system: An absence of real choices? Do we vote too often in the US? Do we require too much voter effort? Registration rules, federalism, and direct democracy How are campaign technology and negative advertising driving down participation?